New Images of the Sun Show Its Surface in the Finest Detail Yet
- On Wednesday, researchers published findings in the journal Nature revealing the sun's surface in unprecedented detail, captured by the National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on Maui, Hawaii.
- Scientists originally utilized the telescope to test its operational limits, but discovered strange 'whirlpools' of activity and feathery rippling patterns on the sun's outer shell that were previously impossible to observe.
- Researchers identified the phenomenon as 'Kelvin-Helmholtz instability,' where magnetized plasma moving at varying speeds creates twisting magnetic energy that drives intense heat and plasma blasts on the solar surface.
- Dr. David Boboltz of the National Solar Observatory explained that understanding these dynamics helps predict space weather, which can disrupt Earth's power grids, interfere with satellite communications, and potentially injure astronauts.
- Study co-author Friedrich Woeger noted such detail has never been observed on the solar surface before, reinforcing the sun's status as a 'unique laboratory' for studying basic physics like Einstein's relativity confirmed by solar eclipse observations.
221 Articles
221 Articles
New photos and videos of the Sun show "swirls" of activity that have not been seen until now
Using the US National Science Foundation's (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, researchers have imaged the Sun's surface in the most detail ever, revealing previously unobservable, swirling plasma movements.
For the first time, detailed images of the largest solar telescope in Hawaii show solar vertebrae with a diameter of up to 2000 kilometres. The findings could help to better understand solar eruptions.
In an unprecedented move, scientists have captured sharp images of tiny plasma vortices on the Sun's surface, opening new avenues for understanding solar energy. This first-ever look at tiny plasma vortices on the Sun's surface has provided scientists with a firsthand look at a long-predicted instability that could help explain how the Sun stores and releases energy. Using the National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Mau…
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